(Before reading aloud, pray, then underline words and phrases that stand out to you.)
Imagine you and your family entering a time capsule and landing amongst Israeli pilgrims in Jerusalem on their way to the Temple for the most holy of days.
It’s the special day that the high priest is going to plead to God for the forgiveness of their sins. They had to go e
very year for the high priest to forgive their sins.
What is the high priest wearing on his chest? The large square with different colors?
It’s called the “breast plate” and is made of cloth with twelve beautiful, different jewels attached.
Look even closer…each stone is inscribed with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus made sure that the people He loved were close to His heart when He died so that they could live.
The high priest is a shadow of Jesus, our High Priest, who died for our sin once and for all.
You and I were carried close to his heart, also.
Just like the names of the 12 Tribes were inscribed on the breastplate jewels, your name and mine were inscribed on Jesus’ palms. (Isaiah 49:15)
In fact, if you were the only person in the world, He would have come to die for your sin so that you could have eternal life forever with Him, both now and after you leave planet earth.
Scripture: “….We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven…” (Hebrews 8:1)
Craft: Making a breastplate would be a lovely family activity and way to teach the kids about how special they are to Jesus.
Suggestion: Search for the image of the high priest online. Choose one and make print-outs for everyone. Tonight, read the devotional together as a family and have the colored pens ready for everyone to color the picture.
Discussion: What words stood out to you as we read about the high priest?
- people were close to Jesus’ heart
- name of tribe written on stone
- Jesus died for sin once and for all
- high priest was shadow of Jesus
Resource: https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0geK987CLlaiUkAi5cPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw–?p=high+priest+of+ancient+israel&fr=yhs-pty-pty_packages&hspart=pty&hsimp=yhs-pty_packages
Bible Study: More verses about Jesus as our High Priest:
[ Jesus the Great High Priest ] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
[ Melchizedek the Priest ] This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
Such a highpriest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.